Russian Tanker Heads Home

Jan. 23, 2012

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Russian tanker that brought fuel to an iced-in Alaska town is heading back to open water — once it gets through miles of sea ice.

Coast Guard spokesman Adam De Rocher says its icebreaker, the Healy, and the Russian tanker Renda were about 160 kilometers south of Nome on Monday. He says they left the town on Alaska's western coast on Friday.

The icebreaker led the Renda to Nome by cutting a path through Bering Sea ice, allowing the delivery of 4.9 million liters of fuel. Nome would have run out by spring after a November storm prevented its last pre-winter fuel delivery.

Once the Renda hits open water, it will head for Russia. The Healy will go to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to drop off supplies before heading home to Seattle.